The Four Corners Abroad

id Mrs. Corner one morning to her sister-in-law. "I've j

stion?" asked Nan looking up

decided that she must close her house for the remainder of the summer and go to her siste

nd loads of pensio

ms, an adequate table, and good service. We are near the Bois, and the trams, yet we escape the noise of the city. To be sure it would be more convenient to be nearer

must not think of wearing herself o

, Mary, and that is your health before anything else, and we shall all rai

a very worthless, doless cre

no idea of having you rush off to Lausanne or some such place and leave us to our own dev

the mother and I the daughter. I dare say you are right, Nan, an

ger children," put in Miss Helen, "that it come

ng her. "I didn't mean to be. You are so precious, you see, that

ugh it does make me feel ashamed of

ssary," Miss Helen told her, "and this matter of

uthoritative manner, Aunt Helen, we all

o," laughed

that my friend, Miss Selby, could tell us of one. You could have a maid who would relieve you of all care, and Paris is full of Fre

Corner. "It has been so long since we had anything

t in Paris, since I heard Miss Dolores tell about the way her cousins used to live here.

o more of England after her last rainy, chilly experience there, and I am not sure it would be best for her to venture.

e has such a dear little studio, and has been in Paris

d Miss Helen. "Go get on your things,

are not on hand. She will be adrift after Madame goes, and she is not well off, you know. She speaks French like a native, and she might relieve mother

elen, "and we may be able to follow it u

the midday meal. Early in the afternoon they came back looking rather

ry Lee, who, with Jo and Mrs. C

'll have all the fun of breaking the news. We're going

conjugate is goin

studio, and is so entertaining-well, my child, listen; she knew of exactly what we want in the apartment-house where she is. Another artist has an apartment there, a big one, and he is very eager to rent it because he wants to go to Brittany. We looked at it and it will be all right,

t?" asked M

ter, mother mine, convenient

id Mrs. Corner. "What did

and we can move right in, bag and baggage, as soon after as we choose. Of course it is very artistic with s

ide the river," said Mrs. Corner doubtfully.

he rooms appeared airy and well ventilated. We are hardly

nd look at the place, if you can go with me, Helen. W

to go with you, my dea

oked rather subdu

fun?" said Na

you,

r Miss Josephin

ed the schedule so I'd have the chance to stay longer and give more time to French and Germ

e they come to snatch you, and

too? I thought maybe I would have to do something else; g

d leave a single lamb to the ravening wolves of

ered to Go

fectly safe in a co

ave a distinct yearning to do it. You are in mother

he one to sleep i

self. You are to room with Mar

ings. Miss Joyce, upon being interviewed, was delighted to accept the proposition made her, but as there was not room in the apartment for her, Miss Selby, acr

have my little room with her in consideration of my helping her with beginners, and with the prospect of being deprived of that source of supply, I was feeling rather blue, a

d to go forth for supplies. "There is a fascinating market not far off," she said. "We passed it the other day when we were coming here. And as for crêmeres and bou

will," came

things we can't get at a pension table. I am going to carry a net, just as the working people do. I don't care a snap who sees; it is only for once, anyhow. There is a nice smiling concier

r girls set to work to cook the second breakfast on the gas-range. The kitchen was a tiny one and the

Mrs. Corner; "fried egg

h mayonnaise," said Miss

Strawberries and cream!"

a real home dish," said Miss

r instance, look different from ours; they are a different shape and much smaller, but I saw most of the vegetables we are used to having at home, except green corn and sweet potatoes. As for the fruits, there are not only t

ere to have no maid

you wouldn't wish. I hope Marie or Hortense or whatever her name may be, w

call her, come in and do the dishes. That is one of the advantages of being here; there is never any trouble in gett

these lovely yard long two-inch-diametered st

than she had shown for some time and Nan w

d to watch the people come and go. Nan prepared the morning coffee which was pronounced the best since the home days, and as the baker had not

n the streets, while Nan liked to go further afield to the market which she declared was as amusing as a farce. "I wish you could see the bartering for a piece of meat," she told the family. "There is one butcher I could watch all day. I never saw such expressive contortions, such gesturings, such rollings of eyes and puffings out of cheeks, and then to see a scrap of a Frenchwoman wriggle her fingers contemptuously under his very nose, while he looks fierce enough to bite them off, is as funny a performance as I ever beheld. Then after they have squabbled, and shrieked and abused each other long enough they end up with such smiles and polite airs as you never saw. You should hea

rowing up," sighed her mother. "She has the nest-building insti

s, in spite of her being the eldest, and of having had more responsibility than the other

"And here in these very streets it went on," she said. "Can you realize, girls? Fancy the Louvre seeing so many wonderful historical

. "It is bad enough if you don't try to

talk about it, and we shall remember it

se shedding tears over people who have been dead and in their graves a hundred years. Th

you take no more interest. Well, then, if you must be slicked up and smoothed down by something sweet and a

e first to receive the postman's sheaf of mail. "One for you, Nan," she sang out; "another for Mrs.

ing the contents. "Just wait a minute," she said. "This is exciting. Please put

asked Mary Lee, see

e minute

u just jerk out a word and then stop without

one minute. I mu

d went off to deliver the other mail. But before she returned Nan had rushed wildly to her mother, and Mary Lee

What we?"

from Mr. St. Nick. He and Miss Dolores are at San

over. It cannot be decided all in one minute, besides, I have not had time to read my own lett

what it is all about," s

r sister's hand. "There," she

trying to gather from her mother's expression what she

tter. "We have taken this apartment and have made all our arrangements, and to allow e

voice expressed bi

o want to see, it is Spain," said Mary Lee sighing

managed," returned Mrs. Corner. "However, I

any one going that way who would chaperon us it would be all right, wouldn't it? Mr. St. Nick said he would meet

ess are, but if we don't know any o

now one," replied

with her grandfather, so now to have the opportunity thrown at them, as Nan said, and not to be able to take advantage of it seemed a crue

ss Barnes and the other girls will be coming alon

en if we do go," Nan assured

ining hour," said Jo cheerfully, "and it

ng at it," laughed Nan.

ked Jack who h

nswer. He wanted the whole Corner family to come, but mother says it is out of the question,

rte

nice not to forget

g but amusing, as she laughed many times before she had finished reading. "Cart is a

ong day before you d

"He may come abroad in the spring, and says per

we shall not leave Munich be

from the window. And the appearance of Miss Corner put an

"blessed and always helpful godmother, the fairest of fairy godmothers, we do so want to go to Spain and you must use your fa

big Newfoundland dog trying to be a terrier pup. You forget I am not your superior in size if I a

enses before she told her tale which was listened to a

. You are always tha

ged. However, I will put on my thinking-cap and perha

good as done," declared Nan to Mary Lee, and both felt q